Who's this little guy?

[sedna]

I just got this little guy from Diver Tom today. Tom thinks it's a baby briareus or vulgarism based on the shape of it's head. When I first saw it, it was doing the classic mercatoris pose, with the front two arms thrown up over it's head between it's eyes. It's in a critter keeper in my larger tank, and unlike a merc, right now it is out on the side of the box, not hiding in a hole showing only it's eyes. Of course, I was hoping it's a baby "something big" as opposed to a half grown merc, but it's so feisty and cute, I just don't care! I took these pics in a white plastic bowl before I started the drip acclimation so I could get some better close ups. I knew it was time to end the photo shoot when he squirt me! I'm in love!!!

Any guesses?

 

[DWhatley]

I'm going with vulgaris. They have been seen (maybe) in large numbers this crab season according to the crabbing reports (no pictures so it is hard to be sure on species, especially since the Common Carri bean and the common octopus are often used/misused interchangeably, but the reports are that the octos in the traps are larger than usual.

I would also suggest it is very young because of the jelly like look to the skin and would totally discount any thought of O. briareus. There are other possibilities, of course, but I think vulgaris is a good guess.

Look at LittleBit's first photos and video, other than color, I see a definite resemblance and feisty is a definite fit.